Lot 1056: CHEN YIMING

CHEN YIMING
(B. 1951)
Girls by the Boat
signed 'y. m. chen' in Pinyin (lower left); signed 'y.m. chen' in Pinyin; dated and inscribed 'c 90' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
54.5 x 74.5 cm. (21 3/8 x 29 3/8 in.)
Painted in 1990

Born in Shanghai in 1951, Chen Yiming attended the Shanghai School of Fine Art and the Shanghai Drama College and excelled in oil painting. Following his move to the United States in 1981, he has been exhibited throughout the country, his paintings deeply resonating with both Eastern and Western audiences for the intimate sceneries he creates. One such painting is Girls by the Boat of 1990 (Lot 1056). Set by the Southeastern coast of China, Chen Yiming brings to life two figures roaming the seashore. Huddling against one another and hiding between the abandoned fishing boats, they brace the cold winds. Using a select palette of warm browns and reds to offset the icy waters in the background, Chen Yiming adeptly renders several different textures with ease and dexterity, bringing warmth to the cold environment. The mounts of sand, the dried wooden boards, the seemingly frozen sea and cotton tops of the figures all are evident and in combination with the slight cropping of the boat, it is as though a candid photograph caught by a third person in the painting. Deep within the exquisite details of the painting, Chen Yiming's thoughtful consideration of the subject reflects his deep respect for the rigorous lifestyle led by the fishermen. This is reflected in the grandeur of the ocean that extends far into the distance and the two figures who bravely set out to the waterside as though being by the water bring comfort and joy. Drawing the viewer into this world, Chen Yiming allows the viewer to reminiscent upon the days spent by the ocean, as well as for the artist himself who as a child spent time by the coast.